Abstract
Impact and the Magnitude of Preterm Birth with ROP Babies on the Maternal Anxiety and Psychological Well-Being
Author(s): Abdulaziz Alhadlaq*Introduction: Postnatal maternal-infant interactions are crucially important in forming the basis of the subsequent relationship. This is hugely compromised in Premature babies, which will result in a significant variable of anxiety, depression, or both in the mother.
Aim: This study aimed to assess the degree of the mother's anxiety during clinical examinations for their baby during Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) examination.
Subject and methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out among mothers who visited the Maternity and Children Hospital, Al-Habib Hospital, Qassim university hospital in Buraidah City. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed among mothers using a web link. The questionnaire includes socio-demographic characteristics, attendance to the child's clinical examination, information about the child's condition from the treating consultant, and maternal anxiety using a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS).
Results: Of the 481 mothers, 33.7% were aged over 35 years, and 40.5% were bachelor's degree holders. Mothers who attended the first time for their child ROP clinical examination was 44.5%. 69.2% of the mothers had severe anxiety, 25.8% were moderate, and 3.1% were mild. Increasing age was more associated with increasing risk for severe anxiety, but mothers who received full information about their child's condition could likely decrease the risk for anxiety.
Conclusion: Mothers who attended ROP clinical examinations for their children demonstrated severe anxiety. Increasing age was the independent risk factor for severe anxiety while receiving full information about their child's conditions was identified as the protective factor. Psychological support is beneficial among mothers who are experiencing a high degree of anxiety during their child's ROP clinical examinations.